From: qj
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 11:31 AM
Dear Mike：
前久您介绍说James桑今年还会来，
不仅介绍气功，还会介绍学英语的方法，
让我相当的期待。
本来想等着看同学会的记录，
但我英语太差，实在太想James桑指点英语学习方法，
所以冒昧地发了个邮件给他，
但他没回应。
不知道您是否方便帮我引介一下？谢谢。
From: mikeon
發表於 2012-7-10 13:20
我剛剛打電話給James桑，
他正好在桃園機場的停車場，出國才回來
可能是這個原因，未回覆之前妳的媚兒
我已向他關照過，James桑很樂意指導妳如何學好英文
請楊桑再寫一封媚兒給他，提出妳的問題
另外，也要請James桑把對楊桑指點的媚兒同時傳給我
以便貼在討論區上，分享所有同學
謝謝，James桑
楊桑是中國雲南人，比較方便用媚兒提問，
不便之處請見諒
也請James別忘了今年同學會的演講約定
From: qj
Sent: 2012/7/11
Dear James桑：
很高兴能联系上您，丝路之旅还愉快吧？
Mike介绍过您是他认识的台湾英语最好的人，
而且还没出过国，让我很汗颜，
因为我从初中到大学10年，都在学英语，还去了美国2年念硕士，
可是英语还是羞于见人，好多次都想放弃了。
反正一言蔽之，就是学了多年英语，还是哑巴、聋子，相当的失败。
所以看到Mike的介绍后，我真的相当的心急想向您讨教。
为了方便您指导，我就仔细地向您汇报一下我现在的英语水平：
1、阅读。英文报刊、杂志虽然有生词但理解大意基本没问题。
2、我硕士念得是经济专业，写课程论文基本过关，但日常的写作很费劲，老是想不起来用什么单词，写个邮件什么的也要想半天，非常地不顺畅。
3、听力。听新闻和平常听老外说话，能听懂个70%左右。平常每天我都练习听力，听听广播什么的，但就感觉没什么提高。
4、口头表达。在美国的时候，大多数时候接触的都是中国人，说的是中文，即使和老外说英语，就乱说，反正老外大概能猜出我讲什么。现在基本上是开不了口，除了些简单的句子。一开口想讲什么，就要想半天用什么单词、什么句子，搞得根本不敢开口说英语。
拉拉杂杂写了一堆叨扰您，很抱歉。非常希望能得到您的指点。谢谢！
From: james peng
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2012 12:36 PM
Dear 杨桑, I’m sorry for late reply as I just returned to Taipei from a 12-day tour to the Silk Road in China. You probably will be disappointed as I am not as good as Michael has described. I am here just to offer my own experience in learning English..
We all aim to be a native English speaker, and actually, a sophisticated native speaker. A native speaker with just a high school degree might not be good enough unless she/he continue to learn more stuff. To reach the level we aimed, I think, we need to MAKE SENTENCES ALL THE TIME, until we can ``think’’ in English just like a native speaker. LEARNING ENGLISH BY WRITING is an effective way. If we can write well, when we read some good articles, we can naturally learn from them, and we can easily improve our listening and speaking capability.
Therefore, please write to me next time to introduce yourself in English. Take all the chances to use English. At first, try to translate all your words into English, and gradually, you’ll be able to think in English.
Other ways can help you include:
--READ AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE: As said earlier, if you make the sentences all the time, you’ll find out better ways in making sentences when you read some good articles.
--READ AS QUICKLY AS A NATIVE SPEAKER: Aim to finish reading one Time Magazine (or Bloomberg BusinessWeek) word by word within five hours. You are allowed to look up only one word in the dictionary by reading per page, guessing the meaning of other words you are not familiar with. This way you can absorb information very quickly just like a native speaker. You’ll see many frequently used words that you are still not familiar with, but after seeing them three or four times, looking them up in the dictionary will help you learn the new words quickly.
--JOIN AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING CLUB such as a Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC), or a Toastmasters International branch. You’ll meet many native speakers there, and you can talk to them and email them. You said when you studied in the United States, you spoke to Chinese in Mandarin most of the time. That’s the problem. To learn English well, you have to use the language all the time.
--SET A BENCHMARK: Find one in your field with excellent English capability as the benchmark. See the guy as the model you aim to be in one to three years. Once you reach the level, select another one with higher standards as the new benchmark. If you do so, you’ll have confidence and you’ll easily get a big pay raise or upgrade yourself to a new career. Once you are prepared, the new opportunity will arrive before you.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have questions.
From: mikeon
發表於 2012-7-12 12:53
Dear James 桑：
我在想，學英文可不可以像學巴菲特這麼簡單
讓離英文很遠的人也能跟上
能否用學母語一樣的方法來學英文 ?
From: james peng
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2012 1:24 PM
Thanks Michael. The way I mentioned is exactly native English speakers learn their language by repeatedly making sentences. If you mean by using 諧音 of Mandarin to learn English, it could be kind of 頭上安頭, and our pronunciation would be poor.
Actually, making sentences repeatedly could be fun, because after practicing for a while, we'll find out our reading capability improves, and we can listen and speak English better bit by bit. We'll feel good and confident gradually. Moreover, we should read all the magazines and books just like reading novels, concentrating but with a casual attitude. Let's have fun!
From: mikeon
發表於 2012-7-12 15:37
疑也(日語，非也) !
我不是說「using 諧音 of Mandarin to learn English」
What I mean is , you know,
讓每個人都能學會英文，Perfect English
even for those 無藥可救的人
This is my 信仰:
人人都能成為巴菲特 !!
人人都該上大學 !
人人都學好英文 ???
James桑說，making sentences,
but Who來edit ?
If making 不正確的sentences，
How to 進步 ?
From: james peng
Sent: Thursday, July 12, 2012 3:51 PM
Dear Michael, it doesn't matter if we make mistakes when making sentences. As long as we continue making sentences and meanwhile keep on reading, we'll be able to correct ourselves. Of course, if we have teachers available to edit our writing, that will be even better (just like in my case being a reporter -- learning English while getting pay).
